ref –
- https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/subordinating_conjunctions.htm
- https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/subordinate_clause.htm
Subordinate clauses are created when a clause uses a subordinate conjunction.
The main role of a subordinating conjunction and the subordinate clause is to establish a time, a place, a reason, or a condition for the main clause.
Example of subordinate conjunction used a condition
- You (subj) fail(verb).
- You (subj) may be (verb) disappointed (adj).
add subordinate conjunction if:
If you fail (this is a subordinate clause)
We then use this with a main clause to create a sentence:
If you fail, you may be disappointed.
Example of subordinate conjunction used a condition
- You (subj) don’t try (verb).
- You (subj) are (linking verb) doomed (adj).
Add subordinate conjunction if:
If you don’t try (becomes subordinate clause)
use it with a clause:
If you don’t try, you are doomed.
Example of subordinate conjunction used a reason
- She left early.
- Tony arrived with his new girlfriend
Add subordinate conjunction because to clause:
because Tony arrived with his new girlfriend
sub clause:
She left early because Tony arrived with his new girlfriend.
subordinate clause used as adverb to explain a verb in the main clause
Say we have a sentence:
Mao became the leader of China
And another sentence that explains the above:
He (subj) consolidated (verb) power (obj) in 1902 (obj compl).
We need to add a subordinate clause to explain “how” of the verb became
If we add the subordinate conjunction after it becomes:
After he consolidated power in 1902
A subordinate clause needs a main clause.
After he consolidated power in 1941, Mao [became] the leader of China.
This type of subordinate clause is known as adverbial, because it explains the [how/why] for verb in the main clause.
Subordinate clause used as adjective clause
clause: He is known as Ricky Cao.
Let’s use subordinate conjunction who to reference the subject before our clause,
subj + clause = RickyABC, who is known as Ricky Cao
Then, add the main clause:
RickyABC, who is known as Ricky Cao, [wants to solve the english problem in China].
Subordinate clause as nouns (for subj and obj)
Nouns can be subject or obj…so as long as the subordinate clause in in those places, we are ok.
As the subject:
I (subj) play (verb) baseball (obj).
Let’s start with a clause:
I am fat.
We use subordinate conjunction Whoever, and apply it to our clause ‘I am fat’:
Whoever is fat
Add to subject as noun:
[Whoever is fat] plays baseball.
As the object:
I (subj) can do (verb) this (obj). (clause)
We’re going to replace (this, obj) with a sub clause.
First a clause:
I like.
Now we’ll put the subordinate conjunction whatever to the sub clause:
Whatever I like
Now the full sentence:
I can do [whatever I like].